I spent a chunk of the evening cleaning my oldest daughter’s room.
It wasn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it would not be deemed organized, by even the lowest of standards.
It wasn’t the worst I’ve seen, but it would not be deemed organized, by even the lowest of standards.
She had trouble giving up toys she had matured on from like little plastic dolls, and cheap happy meal toys. There were papers she had drawn on, and little key chains that really had no significance other than she sort of liked them.
We talked about what was worth keeping and what wasn’t.
I’m happy to say it didn’t take too terribly long before she and I were on the same page and working efficiently together.
The first 15 minutes of sorting we discovered what our goal was.
Just as the rooms of our home get messy with use, so does our heart.
Before company comes I usually tidy up the house.
I’m sure most people do this.
I’m sure most people do this.
I don’t put much worry into it, because I think there is something said for being real. But I do pick up the toys off the living room floor, or at least kick them all to one corner.
Isaiah 1:18The Message (MSG)
Let’s Argue This Out
18-20 “Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out.”
This is God’s Message:
“If your sins are blood-red,
they’ll be snow-white.
If they’re red like crimson,
they’ll be like wool.
If you’ll willingly obey,
you’ll feast like kings.
But if you’re willful and stubborn,
you’ll die like dogs.”
That’s right. God says so.
This is God’s Message:
“If your sins are blood-red,
they’ll be snow-white.
If they’re red like crimson,
they’ll be like wool.
If you’ll willingly obey,
you’ll feast like kings.
But if you’re willful and stubborn,
you’ll die like dogs.”
That’s right. God says so.
I have to remind myself that my heart needs that same attention. We need to do a tidy of our heart regularly. Especially as women, who are ordinarily more emotional and just feel more (whether it’s happy, sad, joy, mad, etc), we need to get on the same page with God. We need to be obedient to Him and set some goals if we want to be working efficiently for Him.
So in practical terms, what does that look like?
It’s different for each of us, but for me it’s devoting time to read my bible and one of the many devotional books I have around here. It’s photographing my life, it’s writing about it. It’s giving thanks to God and asking Him to show me where I can improve.
Once I humbled my heart and began asking God to show me my faults and give me a clean heart, I have been living much happier. It’s not easier. I’m sorry to say it takes a tremendous amount of effort to live purposefully. But it does bring me greater joy that I have only found by living for Him.
Life is so much better when it’s so richly filled with JOY.
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